With the Grasses and flowersSilently,I bent downto be closer,closer to the ground.Then I sat in the grass,amongst the flowers,focusing on life’swonderful mystical powers.My attention centeredin both heart and mind,was a valid say,which inspiresimagination’s motion,and brought about a day,both gentle and kind,with a reddish,blue-green skyand salty spray fromthe far-away ocean.The truth took holdand began to unfold,in a most natural way.I’m not running hot or cold,because my experience todayshows, that awarenessis the potter’s clay,and feeling 'natural' is the mold.Suddenly,the grasses and flowerswere talking to meabout their traditionsand experiencesin the great mystery.And on thisbeautifully designed,sunny afternoon,I was given a truth,that my logical mindcould no longer impugn.It was all so real,with color, smell,taste, sound and feel,that there can be no appealby those that aretradition-bound.For the truth is,it's imagination that,makes the world go round.https://ello.co/richokun/post/yj5mc0_j3x7nmdrk6wy1ig#poetry#painting#spiritual#nature#love

The Cottonwood Tree has fallen.

That big, old, cottonwood tree, has fallen in the wind. Up-rooted when tornados came call'n, as mighty as it may have been.

It leaned much too far over the house, since before I moved in, 20 years ago, and although, I was warned it threatened to fall, I would not let them cut it down, and lose its connection to the all.

In late Spring, it would yield its generous seed, and for days upon days, like a snowstorm, they were dancing in the air. Any malaise, would surely transform, as white angel cotton wings, were flying everywhere.

And when the great tree was finally taken by the winds, it remembered and knew not to fall on the house, as it was so perfectly positioned to do, instead, when it fell, it fell, exactly parallel.

Afterwards, I placed tobacco and sage on my sacred and fallen friend. I thanked her and said a prayer, "I know that you heard what I intend. I will miss seeing and being with you dancing in the air".

There is always magic in the ordinary.The Cottonwood Tree is very sacred to Native American spirituality, culture and ceremony. The Sun Dance is performed using a Cottonwood Tree as the centering pole, and the young sapling cottonwoods are used to build their Sweat lodges used for ceremony, purification, prayer and visioning-